7 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your Stove
A stove is one of the simpler machines in your kitchen, and that’s good news: most of what goes wrong with one is a cheap, well-understood repair. An igniter is $30. A heating element is $40. A thermal fuse is $15.
Which means the real question is never "is it broken?" It’s "is this the kind of broken that’s worth fixing?" Here are the seven signs, and what each one actually means.
1. You smell gas
This is the one that isn’t a judgment call. If you smell gas when the stove is off, stop reading, turn off the gas at the shutoff valve behind the range, don’t flip any light switches, open windows, leave, and call your gas utility from outside.
A faint gas smell for a second or two while a burner ignites is normal. A persistent smell, or any smell with everything off, is not.
Once it’s safe: a leaking connection or valve is often repairable, and a technician should find the source. But a gas leak inside the range body, at the manifold or a burner valve, on an old stove is a strong signal to replace rather than repair. You do not want to be chasing gas leaks on a fifteen-year-old appliance.
2. Burners won’t light, or light slowly
Here’s where people replace a stove they didn’t need to.
Clicking but no flame: the igniter is dirty, wet, or worn. Very often this is just food debris in the burner cap. Clean the burner head and cap thoroughly, make sure they’re dry and seated correctly, and it frequently fixes itself for free.
Still clicking after cleaning: the igniter or spark module needs replacing. Parts are inexpensive and the job is straightforward.
When it means replace: multiple burners failing at once, or a failed spark module on an old range where the same parts keep dying. That’s a wiring or control-board story, and control boards are the expensive part of a stove.
3. The oven doesn’t hold temperature
You set 350°F. Cakes sink, cookies burn on the bottom, a roast takes ninety extra minutes. Something is wrong with the oven’s ability to reach or hold a temperature.
Test it: put an oven thermometer on the center rack, set 350°F, and let it fully preheat. If the reading is off by more than about 25°F, you have a real problem.
Often a cheap fix: a failed temperature sensor (a $20–$40 part), a bad bake element (visible cracks or blisters), or an oven that just needs recalibrating, many ovens have a calibration offset in the settings.
When it means replace: the control board is failing, or the temperature swings wildly and unpredictably even after the sensor is replaced. Control board plus labor on an old range can approach the cost of a better used range.
4. The cooktop glass is cracked
Replace it. A cracked or shattered glass cooktop on an electric range is not a wait-and-see problem, because the elements underneath are live and moisture, spills, and cleaning liquid can now get to them. That’s a shock hazard.
Glass cooktop replacement parts are genuinely expensive, often $200 to $400 for the glass alone, plus labor, which frequently puts you in reach of a better range. Stop using the affected zone and price a replacement.
The same goes for a badly pitted or rusted-through cast iron gas grate area or a burner box with holes rusted in it.
5. It takes forever to cook anything
Not one burner, everything. The oven that used to preheat in 10 minutes takes 25. Water takes noticeably longer to boil. Recipes that always worked now need extra time.
This is usually heating elements or burners losing efficiency with age, or, on a gas range, a gradually degrading regulator or partially clogged burner ports. Individual elements and burners are replaceable. But when the whole machine has slowed down, you’re watching a range wear out, and you’re paying for it in energy every time you cook.
6. Knobs, doors, and controls are failing
The little indignities that add up:
- The oven door won’t seal. Heat pours out, the oven can’t hold temp, and everything cooks unevenly. A door gasket is cheap. A warped door or failed hinges is not, and hinges are a common casualty of running high-heat self-clean cycles.
- Knobs that spin freely or won’t turn off. A knob is a $10 part; a failed valve behind it is not, and a gas burner you can’t reliably shut off is a safety issue.
- A touchscreen or control panel that goes unresponsive. This is the control board. On a range old enough that parts are scarce, this is usually the end.
A pattern worth noticing: many of these failures trace back to habits, especially the self-clean cycle, which runs the oven near 900°F for hours and is hard on hinges, seals, and boards. See cooking habits that can shorten the life of your stove.
7. It’s 15+ years old and something just broke
A range typically lasts 13 to 15 years, gas ones sometimes longer because they’re mechanically simpler. Past that point, the calculation changes: parts get scarce, other components are near the end of their own lives, and every repair is money spent on a machine with limited runway.
The rule of thumb: if the repair costs more than 50% of a comparable replacement, replace. And if the range is over 15 years old, drop that threshold, a $250 repair on a $500 range with three years left in it isn’t a good trade.
Repair or replace: the quick table
| Symptom | Typical repair cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Burner clicks, won’t light | $0–$150 (often just cleaning) | Repair |
| One heating element dead | $40–$180 | Repair |
| Oven temperature off | $50–$200 (sensor) | Repair |
| Oven door gasket leaking | $30–$120 | Repair |
| Warped door / failed hinges | $150–$350 | Borderline |
| Cracked glass cooktop | $250–$500 | Replace |
| Control board failure | $250–$500 | Replace if 10+ years old |
| Gas leak inside the range | Varies | Replace on an older unit |
| Multiple failures at once | — | Replace |
The full framework, including how to think about labor and diagnostic fees, is in when to repair vs. replace an appliance.
If you’re replacing: three decisions, in order
- Fuel. Look behind the range. A gas valve means gas; a large 240V outlet means electric. Buy the fuel you already have, converting costs far more than it ever saves. See gas vs. electric stove.
- Style. Freestanding (finished sides, rear controls) or slide-in (front controls, overlaps the counter). Replace like with like unless you’re also redoing counters. See slide-in vs. freestanding ranges.
- Size. Measure the opening, the door swing, and the path into your kitchen before buying anything: how to measure for a new range or stove.
And on budget: a range is one of the best scratch-and-dent buys in the store, because the cosmetic damage is nearly always on a side panel that disappears between your cabinets the moment it’s installed. You get a mid-tier machine for entry-level money. See best budget stoves and ranges for Houston homes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a stove last?
Typically 13 to 15 years. Gas ranges often last a bit longer because they’re mechanically simpler, with fewer electronics to fail. Past 15 years, parts get scarce and other components are usually near the end of their own lives too.
Is it worth repairing an old stove?
Use the 50% rule: if the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable replacement, replace it. Lower that threshold if the range is over 15 years old. Igniters, heating elements, sensors, and gaskets are cheap and worth fixing; control boards and cracked glass cooktops usually aren’t.
Why won’t my gas burner light but it keeps clicking?
Most often the burner cap is dirty, wet, or out of position, and simply cleaning and drying the burner head and cap fixes it for free. If it still clicks without lighting after a thorough cleaning, the igniter or spark module needs replacing, which is an inexpensive repair.
Should I replace a stove with a cracked glass cooktop?
Usually yes. The elements underneath are live, and a crack lets spills and cleaning liquid reach them, which is a shock hazard. Replacement glass alone often runs $200 to $400 plus labor, which frequently costs as much as a better range.
Why is my oven not heating to the right temperature?
Check it with an oven thermometer first. If it’s off by more than about 25°F, the usual culprits are a failed temperature sensor (a cheap part), a cracked bake element, or a calibration setting that needs adjusting. If temperatures swing wildly even after a new sensor, the control board is failing.
What should I do if I smell gas from my stove?
Treat it as an emergency. Turn off the gas at the shutoff valve, don’t operate light switches or anything that could spark, open windows, leave the house, and call your gas utility from outside. A brief whiff as a burner ignites is normal; a persistent smell, or any smell with the stove off, is not.
How much does a new stove cost?
New ranges run roughly $650 to $900 for a solid basic model and $900 to $1,300 for the quality sweet spot. A quality-tested used or scratch-and-dent range from that higher tier often lands between $550 and $800, which typically beats buying a brand-new entry-level machine.
Come see the difference for yourself
Home Star Appliances has served Houston since 2018 with new, scratch-and-dent, and quality-tested used refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, and microwaves, plus delivery, installation, parts, and financing. Come look at the units in person and ask us anything.
Visit us: 10216 Almeda Genoa Rd, Houston, TX 77075
Call: (713) 568-6088
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Sunday by appointment)
Browse our current inventory or contact our team.
Related reading
- Houston Homeowners: When to Repair vs. Replace an Appliance
- Cooking Habits That Can Shorten the Life of Your Stove
- Gas vs. Electric Stove: Which Is Right for Your Kitchen?
- How to Choose a Range That Fits Your Cooking Style
- Slide-In vs. Freestanding Ranges Explained
- How to Measure for a New Range or Stove
- Best Budget Stoves and Ranges for Houston Homes
- Best Cooking Appliances for a Kitchen Remodel
- Stove Burner Won’t Light? Here’s What to Check
- When Appliance Repair Costs More Than Replacement